We usually scroll through Instagram or TikTok before going to sleep, but before you know it, it’s been an hour. What can you do better? Read!
Read before sleeping
Are you having trouble falling asleep, often watching a series or scrolling for hours on social media such as TikTok and Instagram? It may be due to your evening routine: the blue light from the screens does not really ensure that you can fall asleep peacefully. Researchers have been trying to find the best way to sleep for years, and they think they have now found it: reading a book.
Research
Devouring books and absorbing stories before going to sleep can be very relaxing. A study from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom had participants increase their stress levels and then try to decrease them. And guess what? The research showed that when someone reads, their stress level drops by as much as eighty percent! Delving into a book works even better than listening to music, which reduced stress by 61 percent, drinking coffee or tea worked for 54% and taking a walk reduced stress levels by 42 percent. It took just six minutes of participants’ time to reduce stress by experiencing stories.
Different world
It’s certainly not magic: reading a good book temporarily distracts your mind from daily activities that can cause stress. These stories give your brain the opportunity to step out of reality and dream away for a while, even if you are not really asleep yet. You can put your problems aside, forget them and put them behind you, even if only temporarily. Reading also slows down your breathing and relaxes your muscles. This makes you feel calmer.
Fact
Because this activity can relax you so much, it also has a positive influence on your night’s sleep. The same study showed that no fewer than 39 percent of participants who have the habit of reading a good book before going to sleep can sleep very well. It doesn’t matter what kind of book this is: whether it is a sweet novel, an exciting thriller or a self-help book. In any case, we recommend that you open that book before you go to sleep.
